Latest news with #AnimalHumaneSociety
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
60 cats rescued from from northern Minnesota wildfires
Thursday night, Lauren Fries was preparing for a rescue mission. "We were loading up the vehicle. We knew a line of storms was coming, so we waited here. Our tornado siren went off, so we all hunkered down downstairs," said Fries, shelter behavior services supervisor for Animal Humane Society. Once they got the all clear, she drove north to a potential evacuation zone from the Jenkins wildfire in St. Louis County. "When I got to about Cloquet, definitely noticed that air seemed a little bit smoky. You could smell it a little," said Fries. Her final stop — a home where the pet owners wanted to evacuate but couldn't because they had over sixty cats they didn't want to leave behind. They reached out to the Animal Humane Society for help. Fries is a member of their critical response team. "When we got there, they had secured them to a catio that they had. It was definitely catified. They had shelves, they had cubby holes. They were really loved. They were really friendly, they were coming right up to us," said Fries. In all, fifty-seven adult cats, four kittens and a 5-year-old great dane are now in AHS care, getting their medical needs addressed including spay and neuter surgeries and eye and ear issues. WCCO WCCO was there Thursday morning as the first few felines were moved to cat colonies on the adoption floor. For Friese, the surrenders and subsequent adoptions are bittersweet. "They did love these pets. They were clearly taken care of super well so they were very emotional but they did well by these cats by letting us come in and help them so they could safely evacuate," said Fries. Once the cats and dog are medically cleared, they will be available for adoption at all three locations of the Animal Humane Society.
Newsweek
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Baby Tries To Climb Stairs, New Kitten Knows What To Do: 'Nanny Position'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A protective kitten has captured the hearts of users across the internet with her innate babysitting skills. In a viral Instagram video posted in April, mom Steph Evans (@stephrevans) shared how 4-month-old kitty, Miso, gently held back her 9-month-old human sister, Lola, as she tried to climb the stairs. "When you thought $1,200 was a lot for a cat until you realize she's also a nanny" the 27-year-old from Utah County captioned the clip. "The nanny position has been filled", she added. Evans told Newsweek that ever since they recently brought home their Siberian kitty, baby Lola has been laughing and smiling around her, and even just seeing Miso hanging out nearby "boosts her mood like crazy!" Screenshots of he viral video shows Miso stopping her sister Lola from climbing up the stairs. Screenshots of he viral video shows Miso stopping her sister Lola from climbing up the stairs. @stephrevans "Lola met Miso at the family breeding cats who we bought her from, she was the only kitty who would stick around Lola instead of running away," she added. Evans' older daughter, Renee, 4-years-old, also seems to be a big fan of the family's new pet. In a video shared in the same month, Ren and Miso are inseparable, doing everything together, from playing, to reading books and cuddling. Indeed, cats can be incredible companions for children of all ages, not just because they're cute and cuddly, but because they can enrich their life, and help their development. The Animal Humane Society explains that taking care of an animal can teach children how to be responsible. Cats in particular, with their solitary and skittish ways, can also teach them patience. But the benefits of raising your kids with cats don't stop there. On a physical level, growing up around pets helps build up your child's immune system as they age. And, last but not least, a cat will be their most loyal and trusted friend, always there to provide companionship when they're lonely or down. The best cat breeds to have around children, according to Pet MD, include Ragdoll, Maine Coon, American Shorthair, Siamese, Birman, Burmese, Abyssinian, Norwegian Forest Cat, Siberian, Scottish Fold, Himalayan, and Manx. The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 2.7 million views and 201,945 likes on the platform alone. One user, commented: "Holy cow I didn't know cats can be that expensive?! But she's like the most unique beautiful cat hahah! We're also getting a "nanny" that will be 4K." Fallon.m83171 said: "This is so funny. Adorable how baby knew something was up." Pampersus added: "A pawfect assistant." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Yahoo
Parties agree to suspend prosecution in LeRoy couple's animal mistreatment cases
Apr. 10—PRESTON, Minn. — Prosecutors have agreed to pause court proceedings to allow two Fillmore County dog breeders accused of animal mistreatment a chance to demonstrate that they can properly care for their animals. The cases against Elham Waled Mohammad Alayyoub and Donald Norval Anderson will be suspended for eight months. The couple were charged with nine misdemeanor counts of animal mistreatment after officials seized 15 German shepherd dogs and puppies from their property. If Alayyoub and Anderson remain law-abiding during that time and allow the Fillmore County Sheriff's Office to conduct welfare checks on their animals, the case will be dismissed. Fillmore County Attorney Brett Corson filed the continuance for dismissal on Tuesday, April 8, noting that the sheriff's office will "observe and check on the welfare of any animals" on their property. The sheriff's office will be allowed to check their property twice, once in three months and a second time in six months. Anderson and Alayyoub will receive a 48-hour notice before conducting the checks. The two must cooperate with the animal checks to ensure that they will be home. According to the criminal complaint, Anderson and Alayyoub told Fillmore County deputies on Feb. 9 that they breed German shepherds in rural LeRoy and one of their dogs unexpectedly died. The two said the dog may have been poisoned by someone and that this was the second dog to die under similar circumstances over the past few months. Deputies suggested that Alayyoub and Anderson take the dog to a veterinarian at the University of Minnesota to determine its cause of death, the complaint said. On Feb. 13, the deputies contacted the veterinarian who reported that the dog's body was markedly underweight and in poor condition. The dog was dehydrated and at a high risk for starvation. The veterinarian determined the cause of death to be cardiovascular insufficiency along with intestinal volvulus, a rare disorder in dogs that occurs when the small intestine twists around the mesentery that supports it. The veterinarian told deputies that he was concerned for other dogs in the couple's care. The Fillmore County Sheriff's Office went to Alayyoub and Anderson's property, where deputies saw nine adult German shepherds and eight puppies. One deputy was able to pet one of the males and felt its spine and ribs through its fur. In the kennel area, the complaint says, the floors were covered with fecal matter and there was a strong smell of urine. A search warrant to seize the dogs from the property was executed, and nine adult German shepherds and six puppies were turned over to the Animal Humane Society for care and examination. Two puppies were sold prior to the execution of the search warrant, the complaint said. According to the complaint, five dogs were suffering from chronic malnutrition, nine were suffering from malnutrition and one was emaciated. Dogs are measured on a nine-point body condition score, indicating underweight, overweight and the ideal weight. One dog scored a 3/9, the complaint said. Every other dog received a score of 2 or lower. At least one of the dogs was diagnosed with coccidia and hookworms, or intestinal parasites.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Breeders, lawmakers square off over breeder transparency bill
Mar. 1—ST. PAUL — Last March, when Rielle Perttu brought home a German shepherd born to a Southeast Minnesota breeder, she was worried the puppy might have trouble socializing with people and other dogs. That's because her new pet, named Karbon, had had a rough go of it already in her short life. She was one of 15 dogs — nine adults and six puppies — seized from a Fillmore County breeder for alleged malnourishment and unsanitary conditions. That happened about days before Perttu and Karbon were introduced, in February 2024. None of the dogs examined had a body condition score greater than 2 on a scale of 1 to 9, where 4 or 5 is ideal, according to Dr. Ashley Plotkowski, a veterinarian with the Animal Humane Society. The owners of the breeding operation, Elham Alayyoub and Donald Anderson, face nine counts of animal neglect and cruelty charges . A trial is set for April in Fillmore County. Perttu's experience underlines a lack of transparency in Minnesota's dog breeding world where, in most cases, people who acquire dogs from breeders must rely on information provided by the breeders themselves about the business and the conditions in which puppies are raised. Inspection reports, number of breeding dogs and other licensing information kept on commercial cat and dog breeders is considered private under Minnesota laws except in some rare circumstances. That may change soon under legislation introduced last week that would make breeder licensing information public. Bill author Rep. Mike Freiberg, DFL-Golden Valley, introduced a proposal Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, to make public cat and dog breeder licensing information. That would include the number of breeding dogs breeders have as well as inspection reports. "People want to know if the breeders they deal with are fine and ethical, and I think most in Minnesota are," Freiberg said. "And if any aren't, I think the public should know." Currently, inspection reports and any violations at nonprofit kennels such as the kennels at the AHS are available to the public. Private breeders' data is kept private. Breeders say making their business information public like nonprofit shelters and kennels would put them at a disadvantage to those shelters. Shelters could use the newly public information to discourage people from buying animals from breeders, said Elaine Hanson, the Minnesota Pet Breeders Association legislative liaison. Hanson breeds miniature dachshunds for show. "It's needless," Hanson said. "There's no legitimate public interest to be served by it, it's just another thing that makes it more difficult for ethical, competent breeders to breed dogs." Minnesota already has a so-called pet lemon law which outlines rights that protect buyers and sellers when purchasing dogs and cats. The law applies to not just commercial breeders but also to pet shops and hobby breeders. The information that would be made public could be used by animal rights groups who oppose commercial breeding, Hanson added. "What it does is it exposes licensed commercial breeders to harassment and interference," Hanson said. Although Hanson said there haven't been documented cases of violence against breeders in Minnesota, breeders often operate from their homes, which could put owners of breeding operations and their families at risk. Freiberg said he's willing to work with breeders and adjust the legislation to address safety concerns. Hanson said she doesn't see anything in the bill worth salvaging. Since 2014, Minnesota breeders and kennels have been required to be licensed and inspected by the state officials. The legislation that created those requirements also specified breeders' information would be kept private. "Part of it was the safety issue, part of that was the compromise so the coalition of breeders would agree to the legislation as it was written," said Steve Kivisto, senior veterinarian with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. Kivisto said the board is neutral on the legislation, adding that it wouldn't add a significant cost or burden to the MBAH. The annual reports with total notices and citations, not to specific breeders, are already available online on the MBAH website . The information to be made public is already collected but is redacted now. The information would instead be made public and an additional staff member may be needed to process public data requests. Minnesota is home to 92 licensed kennels and 89 registered dog and cat breeders as of June 30, 2024, according to data published in the Minnesota Board of Animal Health's annual report. From July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, the MBAH handed out 19 violation notices or correction orders to Minnesota cat and dog breeders along with four educational warnings. No Minnesota dog or cat breeders received civil penalties due to a violation in that fiscal year, the report shows. The report does not specify what those warnings or notices are and which breeders received them. Freiberg said making that information available not only puts private breeders on the same level as nonprofit kennels, but serves to enlighten the public. Most of the notices are for small procedural errors or orders correcting paperwork mistakes, Hanson said. Few notices or violations have been issued to breeders by the MBAH regarding health and welfare of animals in the decade the MBAH has been inspecting breeders. Freiberg first proposed the legislation in 2024 . The bill, with bipartisan support, didn't make it to the floor of the House for a vote. A companion piece of legislation in the Senate that session met the same result. Freiburg and supporters say the measure isn't designed to go after Minnesota cat and dog breeders. "It's not intended to be critical of breeders, or to go looking for concerns," said Liv Hagen, manager of shelter behavior services at the AHS. Proponents of the bill say giving people who are buying cats and dogs more information would help them be best prepared for giving their pets the best care. "If a puppy has not been properly socialized, it can be more challenging for people bringing them into their home," Hagen said. Most of the puppies taken last year from the Fillmore County breeder were treated for challenging medical and behavioral conditions. That included Karbon, the puppy Perttu fostered and would later adopt from the AHS. However, the dog was in good hands. Perttu is a professor of animal behavior at the University of Minnesota. Now, a year later, Karbon is well adapted, Perttu said. "Thankfully I haven't had to deal with any behavior issues," she said. Perttu was meeting with AHS leaders about an unrelated research project and was briefed about the emergency intake. After learning some of the adult dogs were reactive to people and the puppies, some of which were as young as 8 weeks old, didn't appear socialized to people, Perttu said she expected socializing the dogs would be a challenge. She agreed to foster one of the puppies. "Rescuing a dog, I always say you kind of have to expect the worst," Perttu said. "Personality wise, I lucked out, she is so, so sweet." Perttu said she knew what she was taking on because she had learned Karbon's history. And she even convinced her friend Courtney Archer, a Ph.D. candidate in animal science at the university, to adopt another one of the puppies. Archer's dog, now named Karma, came to the AHS with a body condition score of 2 out of 9. Her back legs were weak and the dog needed time and physical therapy before being able to run normally, Archer said. The information she received when agreeing to foster and then adopt Karma was essential and is what all pet owners should have, she said. "They gave us the health issues from when they picked her up," Archer said. Hanson and opponents of the measure had opportunities to testify on behalf of their industry. Proponents of the legislation, including officials from the AHS, testified in favor of the provisions. "There were absolutely no health and welfare violations in the two years preceding the 2024 session," Hanson said. In testimony before the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee, AHS proponents testified the legislation would make current laws governing nonprofit kennels and private breeders equitable. Some lawmakers attending the hearings pointed out the kind of information Archer and Perttu received from the AHS isn't always available from shelters and nonprofit kennels. "You're not always going to know what kind of environment your dogs or cats are raised in, is that an accurate statement?" asked Peggy Scott, R-Andover, Minnesota. Freiberg, who represents the district where the AHS is located, said that would not always be the case for found and surrendered animals. "It's the nature of the shelter to not always know," Freiberg said in the 2024 hearing. "That's not always something that's possible to be known." That's the heart of one of Hanson's and other breeders' objections. Hanson said the legislation would be like requiring clothing retailers to disclose whether their garments were made in sweat shops. Major retailers would likely have information, but resale stores would usually have no idea and only have information about where they got the garment. People who are seeking pets from breeders have plenty of freedom to shop without the state compelling businesses to open their records, Hanson said. "People always have the option of asking to see the reports," Hanson said. "If you need them, you can ask the breeder, and if the breeder doesn't care to show them to you, then you can decide whether you want to go with the breeder."
